Ondaatje on art
It’s always a pleasant surprise to read something and find a passage that resonates; that’s food for mulling.
It’s happened a couple of times with “Divisadero,” the critically appreciated new novel by Michael Ondaatje, author of “The English Patient.”
The smoothly written story stems from a violent act that changes the relationships among two sisters and the young handyman with whom they grow up.
The passage that’s stayed with me most starts with a story about Georges Wague, a professional mime who taught his art to the French novelist Colette in 1906. He also taught her something “she already knew. That there was nothing more assuring than a mask. Under the mask she could rewrite herself into any place, in any form,” one of the sisters narrates.
“This is where I learned that sometimes we enter art to hide within it. It is where we can go to save ourselves, where a third-person voice protects us.”
And thus we blog.
Posted on Tuesday, July 10th, 2007
Under: "Divisadero", Colette, Michael Ondaatje, art, writing | No Comments »